Low cost airline SpiceJet has bagged the most number of airport slots 43 per cent in total vacated by Jet Airways, according to a report by Elara Capital. The debt ridden Jet Airways formally stopped all its operation on April 17. Jet Airways owes more than Rs 8,000 crore to banks, and thousands of crores more in arrears to vendors, lessors and employees.
Jet Airways has more than 440 slots at mumbai and delhi airports. According to Elara Capital report, SpiceJet has won 43 per cent of these slots in March-June period at mumbai and delhi airports. SpiceJet received 130 slots, with the maximum number at mumbai airport at 68 out of the 214 vacated by Jet Airways.
On the other hand, domestic airlines like IndiGo, GoAir, Vistara and AirAsia india have bagged 32 per cent combined, with 13 per cent, 7 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively. SpiceJet's slots would now increase by 70 per cent from the current slots in the coming months (as compared to the previous winter schedule) while IndiGo's slots would increase by 14 per cent during the same period, the report said. Vistara and GoAir's airport slots would now increase by 10 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively. As per aviation experts, delhi and mumbai airport slots are considered most significant since these two witness maximum passenger movement and allow airline to operate maximum flights.
